Ola S1 Pro: First Ride Review In Photos

A revolution in the electric mobility space…..well, almost

After almost four months of stirring up the EV space, Ola Electric finally let us take the 'revolutionary' S1 Pro electric scooter for a spin. How did it fare? Allow our review image gallery to paint the picture:

We're happy to report that the Ola S1 scores high on design. We like how the scooter looked in the flesh, and there weren't any major fit-and-finish issues. 

Our favourite bit was the futuristic bi-projector LED headlight, which looked quite premium.

However, the scooter does seem a little smaller in person than in pictures. That isn't a deal-breaker by any means, though.

The S1 Pro's tail is sleek yet curvy, and with the rear tyre stretched out, this scooter indeed looks macho. 

What about ergos? Well, the Ola S1 Pro excels here too, thanks to a massive 36-litre underseat storage, a class-leading 165mm ground clearance, and a spacious, well-padded seat suitable for two occupants. While the storage can swallow two half-face helmets easily, an international-spec full-face helmet won't fit due to the lack of depth.  

The seat height is a little high at 792mm. But anyone around 5'5 should be able to flat-feet as the seat narrows down up front. 

Now, to the features. The Ola S1 Pro gets an easy-to-use 7-inch TFT touchscreen instrument cluster. Our only gripe with it are the massive bezels around the display; it looks odd in this bezel-less day and age. 

Also, many segment-first features like cruise control and music playback were unavailable on our test scooter. The company claims these will be added via OTA updates.

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Let's come to the Ola S1 Pro's USP: the motor. The segment-leading 8.5kW motor performed well during the test, and we could easily touch 90kmph, meaning the 115kmph claimed top speed should be easy to achieve too. 

That said, the throttle calibration was a spoilsport. There was a lag whenever we gave it full gas (electricity in this case), and when closing the throttle, the scooter continued to accelerate for half a second after, which is neither ideal nor safe. Again, Ola claims these issues will be fixed via OTA updates going forward.

While the motor left us wanting for a little more, the handling exceeded our expectations. The tubular chassis, coupled with the single-unit suspensions and the low centre of gravity, made the Ola S1 Pro exceptional to ride. Bear in mind, the suspension isn’t as soft as conventional ICE scooters, but the S1 Pro irons out most bumps and should be a breeze on city roads.

The Ola S1 Pro uses disc brakes at both ends. The front brake lacked feel and bite during hard braking, and the rear locked up too quickly. 

So, do we recommend the Ola S1 Pro? Sort of. You see, the Ola S1 certainly has heaps of potential, thanks to the extensive features and the powerhouse. And all this is offered at an impressive price tag of Rs 1,29,999 (ex-showroom). However, we suggest you wait a little longer before buying it so that Ola fixes the little issues we have talked about here.